Before LeBron James decided to opt out with his contract in Miami and test the 2014 NBA free agency market, Lance Stephenson was the most intriguing free agent in the block. And right now, he might just be the best player left on the market with LeBron James deciding to come home to Cleveland and Carmelo Anthony staying put in in New York. Stephenson deserved to be an All-Star last season being one of the league's 10 best perimeter defenders and season leader in triple doubles.
With that being said, it wont come as a surprise if Lance Stephenson has drawn interest from several teams including the Los Angeles Lakers, Dallas Mavericks and Boston Celtics, as Broussard reports:
"Stephenson has drawn interest from the Dallas Mavericks and Los Angeles Lakers, although both teams have other free agents prioritized above Stephenson, according to sources. The Boston Celtics have also shown interest in Stephenson, according to a source."
The Pacers and Lance Stephenson have yet to reach a mutual agreement this offseason. Stephenson, a restricted free agent, rejected the 5 year $44 million contract that Indiana offered him and was frustrated by the offer because he felt that the team was low balling him. This gives teams a chance to offer Stephenson a contract that would be difficult for the Pacers to match and steal him away from the team.
But now that the Mavs have acquired Chandler Parsons from Houston after the Rockets declined to match the three-year, $46 million offer sheet, we are now down to just a couple of teams who should be looking to steal the dynamic swingman away from the Pacers.The two teams should be the Lakers and the Celtics, with the latter being the more likely candidate.
Both the Lakers and the Celtics have the assets to pry Lance Stephenson away from Indiana but the Celtics make more sense for Stephenson. It's difficult to imagine how the 23 year old shooting guard will mesh with Kobe Bryant not only because they play the same position but because of Stephenson's erratic behavior and on-court antiques.
The Celtics, meanwhile, have Rajon Rondo and Marcus smart and a young core of players. They are also looking for young talented players who can help them move past the rebuilding process and Stephenson fits the bill. Adding him to the roster will also give the team arguably the most fearsome backcourts in the league.
But Lance Stephenson has already made it known that he wants to play for a contender so joining the Celtics or the Lakers would not make sense. But if he would be patient he could compete for titles on a regular basis once the rebuild is complete.
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